Individual coffee packets with filter

ABSTRACT

A method of brewing with a brewing device includes providing a plurality of individual filter units. The brewing device has a reservoir for flowing water through a composition in the filter units, such as coffee grounds to brew coffee. The individual coffee filter units each comprise a filter pouch that contains a predetermined amount of coffee grounds or the like. An amount of filter units is selected depending on at least one of (i) the amount of coffee to be brewed and (ii) the strength of the coffee to be brewed. The selected amount of coffee filter units are placed in the reservoir and the brewing device is activated to brew the coffee or the like.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the filing benefit of U.S. provisional application, Ser. No. 61/710,245, filed Oct. 5, 2012, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to coffee and filters for automatic drip coffee makers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typical coffee makers, such as the automatic drip type of coffee maker, require a filter that is placed in the coffee maker, and then a desired amount of coffee grounds (such as a selected or desired number of “scoops” of coffee grounds) is placed in the filter. The selected amount of coffee grounds that is added determines the strength of the brewed coffee and the amount of coffee that is to brewed. Such scooping of coffee grounds is inconsistent in providing the same amount of coffee grounds for each pot of coffee and thus does not consistently result in the desired coffee. Also, such scooping often leads to spillage of some of the grounds on the counter or support surface by the coffee maker.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a coffee filter unit that has a predetermined amount of coffee grounds contained in a filter pouch. The amount of coffee grounds and size of the filter pouch and shape of the filter pouch may be selected so that the coffee filter unit may readily fit into a typical sized coffee maker reservoir, so that when hot water flows into the reservoir, it passes through the coffee filter unit to brew coffee. If a user of the brewing device wants a stronger brew of coffee, the user may add a second or third coffee filter unit by simply adding another unit at or on top of the first unit. The coffee filter units may all contain generally about the same amount of coffee grounds therein, or different sized coffee filter units may be provided with some having more or less coffee grounds than others.

Thus, the present invention provides a coffee filter unit and method of brewing coffee that allows for a user to use individually formed coffee filter units to brew coffee to a desired strength. The present invention provides such a method without the need for a person to scoop coffee grounds into a large filter and thus provides a cleaner approach to making coffee, which is also capable of making a more consistently flavored or strength cup or pot of coffee.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coffee filter unit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the coffee filter unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the coffee filter unit of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a coffee maker reservoir with coffee filter units disposed therein in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a coffee filter unit 10 includes an upper filter portion or layer or sheet 12 and a lower filter portion or layer or sheet 14 that are sealed together about their peripheries 16 with coffee grounds disposed therein (FIGS. 1-4). One or more coffee filter units 10 may be placed in a brewing reservoir 18 (FIG. 4), whereby heated water from a coffee maker or coffee brewing device may flow into the reservoir 18 and pass through the coffee filter unit 10 and through a drain or dispensing hole or passageway 18 a of the reservoir 18 to brew a cup or pot of coffee, as discussed below. The coffee filter units of the present invention thus provide an integral or unitary pouch or unit that provides both the coffee grounds (at a desired or predetermined amount) and the filtering function (needed in brewing coffee to avoid grounds of coffee being in the brewed coffee), in a self-contained, sealed unit that a user may readily pick up and place in the coffee maker reservoir or basket, as also discussed below.

The filter portions 12, 14 of the coffee filter unit 10 may comprise any suitable filter material, such as a thin, porous paper filter such as known in the coffee filter arts. The filter portions or sheets are sealed around their peripheries 16 to contain and seal the coffee grounds therein so that the coffee grounds are fully contained in the coffee filter units and the grounds do not fall out of the units. The amount of coffee grounds contained in each coffee filter unit may vary depending on the particular application of the coffee filter units, as discussed below. In the illustrated embodiment, the coffee filter unit 10 is shown as generally circular or disc-shaped, so that the coffee filter unit or units may be readily placed in a typical brewing reservoir of a coffee maker (such as a typical or conventional automatic drip type of coffee maker). By including the filter material with the coffee filter unit, no additional filter is needed to be added to the reservoir when brewing coffee with the coffee filter unit or units of the present invention.

The coffee filter units of the present invention contain a predetermined or preselected amount of coffee grounds therein, and all of the coffee filter units may have generally about the same amount of coffee grounds therein, or different coffee filter units may be provided that have different predetermined or preselected amount of coffee grounds therein. For example, a first or base coffee filter unit may be provided that has a first amount of coffee grounds therein, such as for brewing a predetermined number of cups of coffee at a predetermined or nominal or weak strength, and one or more second or add-on coffee filter units (that have a second or reduced amount of coffee grounds therein) may be used to adjust the strength and/or quantity of the brewed coffee.

Thus, if a user likes a “weak” or “normal” cup of coffee, the user may use only the first or base coffee filter unit to brew the number of cups of coffee that can be brewed by that amount of coffee. For example, the first or base coffee filter unit may contain an amount of coffee grounds that will allow the user to make six cups of coffee at a nominal strength (or more cups at a weaker strength or less cups at a greater strength). The second or add-on filters may contain a lesser amount of coffee grounds, such as an amount that would normally make, for example, two cups of coffee at a nominal strength. Thus, the addition of a second or add-on filter may brew a larger pot of coffee at the same strength or may brew the same amount of coffee at a greater strength or robustness. Optionally, other filters may be provided with flavored or sweetened contents, such that a user may select one or more flavor filters or packets to alter or enhance the flavor of the coffee that is being brewed.

Thus, and with reference to FIG. 4, a user may place a first coffee filter unit 20 at the bottom 18 b of a coffee maker reservoir 18. If the user wants to either (a) brew more coffee than the amount of coffee grounds in coffee filter unit 20 is intended for or (b) brew a stronger cup or pot of coffee, then the user may readily add one or more additional coffee filter units 22 into the reservoir 18, such as at or on top of coffee filter unit 20. The coffee filter units may comprise any suitable size and shape, such as generally round or oval or even cube shaped units that may hold a predetermined amount of coffee therein (such as one scoop or two scoops or more or less coffee), whereby a selected number of units may be selected and placed or dropped into the reservoir to achieve the desired overall amount of coffee grounds and thus the desired strength of brewed coffee. The size and shape of the coffee filter units may vary depending on the particular application (for example, the units may be larger or smaller to provide varying amounts of coffee grounds in each selected coffee filter unit). When the desired combination of coffee filter units is placed in the coffee maker reservoir, the coffee maker is actuated and water flows into the reservoir and through all of the coffee filter units 20, 22 and out the dispensing or drain hole 18 a at the bottom 18 b of the coffee maker reservoir. Optionally, the coffee filter units may be generally disc-shaped (and may have a diameter that is about the size of the diameter of a typical or targeted coffee maker reservoir), and may be readily stacked on top of one another.

The number of different sized coffee filter units may vary depending on the application, and optionally, all of the coffee filter units may contain generally about the same amount of coffee grounds. The user then selects the desired number of coffee filter units (and optionally the desired combination of different sized coffee filter units) to brew the desired amount of coffee at the desired strength, all without having to deal with scooping coffee grounds from a container.

Optionally, it is envisioned that a coffee filter unit of the present invention may include flavor enhancements or the like. For example, a user may select a sweetening flavor unit to add to the selected combination of coffee filter units so that the brewed coffee has the desired flavor (such as hazelnut or the like). Optionally, a coffee filter unit may be provided that includes sugar or other sweetening element mixed in with the coffee grounds so the user can brew the desired sweetened coffee and not have to later add sugar or sweetener to the brewed coffee. Other variations in the ingredients or contents of the individual coffee filter units may be implemented while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Therefore, the present invention provides a coffee filter unit system or method that allows a user to brew a desired amount of coffee at a desired strength, without having to scoop coffee out of a container and into a coffee maker reservoir. The present invention provides a cleaner means for brewing a cup or pot of coffee and provides for a more consistent strength of coffee due to the predetermined amount of coffee grounds in each coffee filter unit. Aspects of the present invention are applicable to other brewing devices for brewing other flavored liquids or the like.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A method of brewing coffee with a coffee brewing device that has a reservoir for flowing water through coffee grounds to brew the coffee, said method comprising: providing a plurality of individual coffee filter units, wherein each individual coffee filter unit comprises a filter pouch that contains a predetermined amount of coffee grounds; selecting an amount of coffee filter units depending on at least one of (i) the amount of coffee to be brewed and (ii) the strength of the coffee to be brewed; placing the selected amount of coffee filter units in the reservoir; and activating the coffee brewing device to brew the coffee.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said coffee filter units comprise generally disc-shaped units for stacking two or more coffee filter units in a generally cylindrical or conical shaped reservoir.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said coffee filter units contains generally the same amount of coffee grounds therein as the others of said coffee filter units.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein some of said coffee filter units contain a different amount of coffee grounds than others of said coffee filter units.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing a plurality of individual coffee filter units comprises providing a first or base coffee filter unit that has a first amount of coffee grounds therein and providing at least one second or add-on coffee filter unit that has a second amount of coffee grounds therein, and wherein said second amount of coffee grounds is less than said first amount of coffee grounds.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first or base coffee filter unit is capable of brewing a predetermined number of cups of coffee to a nominal strength.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein a user selects a desired number of second or add-on coffee filter units to add to said first or base coffee filter unit to at least one of (i) increase the strength of the brewed coffee and (ii) increase the number of cups of coffee that will be brewed.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of said coffee filter units comprises at least one of (i) flavored contents and (ii) sweetened contents.
 9. A method of brewing a flavored liquid with a brewing device that has a reservoir for flowing water through grounds to brew the flavored liquid, said method comprising: providing a plurality of individual filter units, wherein each individual filter unit comprises a filter pouch that contains a predetermined amount of grounds; wherein said filter units comprise two sheets of filter material sealed together around their peripheries with the predetermined amount of grounds disposed between the sheets of filter material; selecting an amount of filter units depending on at least one of (i) the amount of flavored liquid to be brewed and (ii) the strength of the flavored liquid to be brewed; placing the selected amount of filter units in the reservoir; and activating the brewing device to brew the flavored liquid.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said filter units comprise generally disc-shaped units for stacking two or more filter units in a generally cylindrical or conical shaped reservoir.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of said filter units contains generally the same amount of grounds therein as the others of said filter units.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein some of said filter units contain a different amount of grounds than others of said filter units.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing a plurality of individual filter units comprises providing a first filter unit that has a first amount of grounds therein and providing at least one second filter unit that has a second amount of grounds therein, and wherein said second amount of grounds is less than said first amount of grounds.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first filter unit is capable of brewing a predetermined number of cups of flavored liquid to a nominal strength.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein a user selects a desired number of second filter units to add to said first filter unit to at least one of (i) increase the strength of the brewed flavored liquid and (ii) increase the number of cups of flavored liquid that will be brewed.
 16. The method of claim 9, wherein said plurality of filter units comprise coffee filter units containing coffee grounds and flavor filter units containing flavored contents that are different than the coffee grounds of said coffee filter units.
 17. A method of brewing coffee with a brewing device that has a reservoir for flowing water through coffee grounds to brew the coffee, said method comprising: providing a plurality of individual coffee filter units, wherein each individual coffee filter unit comprises a filter pouch that contains a predetermined amount of coffee grounds; wherein said coffee filter units comprise two sheets of filter material sealed together around their peripheries with the predetermined amount of coffee grounds disposed between the sheets of filter material; wherein said coffee filter units are configured for stacking two or more coffee filter units in said reservoir; selecting an amount of coffee filter units depending on at least one of (i) the amount of coffee to be brewed and (ii) the strength of the coffee to be brewed; placing the selected amount of coffee filter units in the reservoir; and activating the brewing device to brew the coffee.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said coffee filter units contains generally the same amount of coffee grounds therein as the others of said coffee filter units.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein some of said coffee filter units contain a different amount of coffee grounds than others of said coffee filter units, and wherein providing a plurality of individual coffee filter units comprises providing a first coffee filter unit that has a first amount of coffee grounds therein and providing at least one second coffee filter unit that has a second amount of coffee grounds therein, and wherein said second amount of coffee grounds is less than said first amount of coffee grounds.
 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising: providing at least one flavor filter units containing flavored contents, and wherein the flavored contents are different than the coffee grounds of said coffee filter units; and selecting an amount of flavor filter units to add to said coffee filter units and placing the selected amount of flavor filter units in the reservoir. 